On April 7th 2015 the city of Springfield will head to the polls for a municipal election with wide ranging implications. Important policies are at stake and both city council and the school board have multiple open positions. The News-Leader has responsibly covered these issues and as the election approaches we are bringing together all of our coverage in one place. Welcome to the Springfield News-Leader's election hub.

City Council

The latest news on the election for city council

Springfield is holding municipal elections on April 7th.(Photo: Nathan Papes/News-Leader)

Five seats on the nine-member Springfield City Council are up for election and a sixth is open for an appointment. Two incumbents, including the mayor, are running, but the other eight candidates are newcomers to council. No matter how the vote goes on April 7, city council will have a much different look than it does now. The News-Leader has written about the candidate's positions on issues, fundraising efforts and community endorsements.

The Springfield Good Government Committee, an arm of the local chamber of commerce, has endorsed five candidates, including Mayor Bob Stephens, Councilman Jerry Compton and three newcomers — Kristi Fulnecky, Ken McClure and Buck Van Hooser.

Springfield voters will soon elect leaders to five city council seats, including mayor. Two candidates are incumbents and another is a former lawmaker. The field includes business owners and attorneys, political insiders and outsiders. Regardless of who is elected, the next Springfield City Council will include many new faces. Council members have the responsibility to vote on many issues.

Council zones in Springfield

Springfield City Council seat zones(Photo: News-Leader)

The battle over SOGI

Springfield's nondiscrimination ordinance takes center stage

The No campaign is defending the SOGI ordinance while the Yes campaign wants to repeal it.(Photo: News-Leader)

Springfield City Council has been wrestling for more than two years on the issue of adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the city's nondiscrimination policy. When council voted to add the protections in October, a group immediately gathered signatures to have the issue repealed by a vote of the people. The News-Leader has covered the issue the whole time and will continue to do so through the election.

The Rev. Caleb Lines, of South Street Christian Church, said he believes "our God is a God of love who created every single person — straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender — with inherent worth and dignity and affirms each person as good."

James River Church pastor John Lindell encourages his congregation to vote yes to repeal SOGI during a sermon on "a biblical look at human sexuality."

The School Board Contest

Five candidates and only three spots on the board

The five candidates for School Board(Photo: News-Leader)

The Springfield school board will face a number of big decisions this year including approval of an estimated $240 million budget. The board will help shape long-range plans for technology, staffing and facilities. Springfield is Missouri's largest district with 25,000 students, more than 60 buildings and nearly 4,000 employees.

A review of candidates' top priorities reveals some common ground on goals such as finding and keeping high quality teachers, figuring out the best way to educate at-risk students, and crafting a far-reaching technology plan. But, even in those cases, there isn't always agreement on how to reach the same goal.

The News-Leader's Editorials

Like many media companies, the News-Leader believes endorsements are part of a newspaper's leadership responsibility. Journalists have access to candidates and information about the issues that other citizens may not. Our Editorial Board interviewed each candidate in a contested race about his or her priorities as a council or school board member. The board also explored leadership experience and candidates' grasp of important financial and social issues facing our city and schools. Based on those interviews, the board recommended candidates they feel have the best ability to make informed decisions about a broad range of issues for our community. The board also weighed on Question 1.